Citi Premier℠ Card
The Citi Premier℠ Card costs $95 a year starting the second year. For most, it’s the option that’s just right. Points give you lots of flexibility, as you can redeem them for a variety of travel rewards. And if you redeem them through the ThankYou® Travel Center, they’re worth 25% more. If you’re a frequent American Airlines flyer, you might like one of Citibank’s co-branded airline cards
pros and cons
60,000 points as welcome offer.
Up to 3× points.
No annual fee for the first year.
Expect to pay $95 annually, starting from your second year of card membership.
17.49% to 25.49% Purchase APR (variable).
No intro APR period.
Cost
Annual Fee
$0 for the first year ($95 thereafter)
Purchase APR
17.49%-25.49% (V)
Foreign Transaction Fee
$0
Cash Back
None
Credit Score
740-850
Long Hotel Stays
Frequent travelers have had a long-lasting love affair with the Citi Prestige® Card (Review). This card offer is unique for its fourth night free on hotel stays of four nights or more, a valuable perk that could help you save hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year, if you stay at high-end properties. The Prestige used to be a powerhouse because you could use that benefit as often as you wanted, but now it’s capped at two uses per year. This new limitation is a bit of a downer, but most people shouldn’t mind too much because Citi stated that the average cardholder didn’t use that perk more than twice per year anyway.
Airport Lounge Access
When it comes to lounge access, there’s really no beating The Platinum Card® from American Express (Review) and its Global Lounge Collection. There are quite a few cards offering the popular Priority Pass Select membership, but the Platinum card grants access to that along with a host of other lounge brands, including Delta Sky Clubs and Amex’s own exclusive Centurion lounges. See everything you get with the Global Lounge Collection here. It’s worth noting that the Platinum card’s Priority Pass Select membership excludes non-lounge experiences, though they’re still offered through competing premium cards, like the Sapphire Reserve. The business version of this card provides the same excellent lounge access, though some other card features are different: The Business Platinum® Card from American Express (Review). Premium credit cards aren’t your only options for lounge access; check out the full marketplace of Credit Cards that Provide Airport Lounge Access.
Premium Travel Rewards
Frequent travelers can get a lot out of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Review). Cardholders enjoy an excellent rewards rate on travel and dining, valuable travel benefits that are easy to take advantage of, and diverse travel partners for point transfers. Wondering if you should go with the Sapphire Reserve or the less-expensive Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Review)? Read our comparison of the Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Sapphire Preferred.
Travel Rewards with No Annual Fee
The Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card (Review) is the top no fee travel card because it offers a decent reward rate for every purchase you make, with the ability to transfer your miles to a variety of airline partners. It can help you travel for free without putting an extra strain on your wallet, as long as you avoid interest and other fees.
Various Hotels
The Citi Prestige® Card (Review) has an excellent rewards program for anyone who tends to stay with different hotel brands, with 3X points for every stay (plus other handy categories for travel). But the best part? You’ll get your fourth night free on hotel bookings, up to twice per year, when you book with ThankYou.com. Plan to use those on a nice vacation, at a fancy hotel or resort, and they could easily be worth over $1K per year. There’s also solid airport lounge access through Priority Pass, and a travel credit to help offset the annual fee.
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